Proper lighting and coverage

tiltswitch

tiltswitch

Well-Known Member
I put a gavita de 1000w in 1.2m tent so yeah youll do ok just make sure you have a good extraction at least a 6 inch rvk or equivalent as itl throw out sone heat.you can grow from seed with a hps but I dont recommend it if your new to growing. Get a cfl for your veging they're pretty cheap
 
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Bud2theBone

Active Member
tiltswitch said:
I put a gavita de 1000w in 1.2m tent so yeah youll do ok just make sure you have a good extraction at least a 6 inch rvk or equivalent as itl throw out sone heat.you can grow from seed with a hps but I dont recommend it if your new to growing. Get a cfl for your veging they're pretty cheap
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Can you tell me more about cfl
 
GreenHighlander

GreenHighlander

Well-Known Member
Get yourself some 4 ft T5s for early veg. A 1k hps is perfect for a 5x5 but there is a chance of you frying young plants with it plus they just don't need that much light for the first 2 weeks or so.

Cheers :)
 
ChiefRunningPhist

ChiefRunningPhist

Well-Known Member
You can see at the top of the list are the HID lamps, the HID technology hasn't progressed in efficiency since this report, so all HID are going to be close to ~2.0μmol/J.
Screenshot_2019-03-21-10-59-07.png
Screenshot_2019-03-21-10-57-56.png

1000W × 2.0μmol/J
=
2000μmol

(2000μmol/25ft2) × (10.76ft2/1m2)
=
860.8μmol/m2/s; ~861PPFD

The better the reflector the more even the spread.
 

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GreenHighlander

GreenHighlander

Well-Known Member
Bud2theBone said:
I’m slow Idk how to like comments . Can you give more on T5. I have a 4ft floro 2bulb and an 8bulb HO t5
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Not sure what you wanna know about T5? If you have an 8bulb HO t5 then I would use that from spout till flowering. Keep the T5s as close to the tops of the plants as possible . T5 wont burn them unless they are actually touching the bulb.

Cheers :)
 
twalte

twalte

Well-Known Member
Bud2theBone said:
5x5 grow space-I was told one 1000w hps is sufficient . Can I grow seed to harvest with hps only?? And is this wattage enough or too much??
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I run the same....1000 watts in a 5x5. I start with a Hydrofarm fluorescent for seed while they are in solo cups. Less electricity for sure. Then I run at 600 watts as long as I can fit my girls under the light to get good light exposure. Once they get big enough for 5 gallon containers, then I switch to 1000 watts to cover the full 5x5 footprint.

Does your lamp run at lower wattages. You need less light during veg than you do during flower. I run my veg cycle at 600 watts until the plants start to hit the edges of the tent.

Here’s my little Hydrofarm T5. I run this with my solo cups. You can see I get the one gallons up close to the hood too at 600 watts.

I should add that up I use a cheap Lux meter to insure that my plants are getting their recommended levels.

Jump Start 2' T5 Grow Light System (Stand, Fixture & Tube) - JSV2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006856EQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_sK-0DbDE8DDGC
 

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Bud2theBone

Active Member
twalte said:
I run the same....1000 watts in a 5x5. I start with a Hydrofarm fluorescent for seed while they are in solo cups. Less electricity for sure. Then I run at 600 watts as long as I can fit my girls under the light to get good light exposure. Once they get big enough for 5 gallon containers, then I switch to 1000 watts to cover the full 5x5 footprint.

Does your lamp run at lower wattages. You need less light during veg than you do during flower. I run my veg cycle at 600 watts until the plants start to hit the edges of the tent.

Here’s my little Hydrofarm T5. I run this with my solo cups. You can see I get the one gallons up close to the hood too at 600 watts.

I should add that up I use a cheap Lux meter to insure that my plants are getting their recommended levels.

Jump Start 2' T5 Grow Light System (Stand, Fixture & Tube) - JSV2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006856EQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_sK-0DbDE8DDGC
[/QUOTE so a 600w t5 will wrk fine for veg??
Click to expand...
 
twalte

twalte

Well-Known Member
Bud2theBone said:
So 600w t5 will suffice for veg??
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I was saying to use your HID lighting but dialed back to 600 watts. Does your ballast allow you to run lower wattage bulbs? You can go HPS all the way, but I’d consider running a 600 watt metal halide to prevent stretch during veg and then throw your 1000 watt bulb in for when you move to larger pots.
 
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twalte

twalte

Well-Known Member
Bud2theBone said:
So 600w t5 will suffice for veg??
Click to expand...
Using my lux meter and some math. I identified that I can effectively cover a 3.5 x 3.5 area and deliver sufficient lux for vegetative growth with 600 watts. So if my plants can squeeze together into a 3.5x3.5 space, then I plan to run 600. I’m generally 15 inches above my plants. I use a lux meter to verify. I use a square 26x26 air cooled hood which helps me get good coverage and allows me to get closer to the plants too.

I highly recommend a lux meter and learning how to use it at growweedeasy.com. You will see that the lux levels at the edges of the tent are weak.
 
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Bud2theBone

Active Member
twalte said:
I was saying to use your HID lighting but dialed back to 600 watts. Does your ballast allow you to run lower wattage bulbs? You can go HPS all the way, but I’d consider running a 600 watt metal halide to prevent stretch during veg and then throw your 1000 watt bulb in for flowering.
Click to expand...
Yes I can switch the bulb to MH. So 600 MH to veg then I can go to my hps to flower??
twalte said:
Using my lux meter and some math. I identified that I can effectively cover a 3.5 x 3.5 area and deliver sufficient lux for vegetative growth with 600 watts. So if my plants can squeeze together into a 3.5x3.5 space, then I plan to run 600. I’m generally 15 inches above my plants. I use a lux meter to verify. I use a square 26x26 air cooled hood which helps me get good coverage and allows me to get closer to the plants too.

I highly recommend a lux meter and learning how to use it at growweedeasy.com. You will see that the lux levels at the edges of the tent are weak.
Click to expand...
so I’ve heard. I was told a light bar would fix that
 
twalte

twalte

Well-Known Member
Bud2theBone said:
Yes I can switch the bulb to MH. So 600 MH to veg then I can go to my hps to flower??

so I’ve heard. I was told a light bar would fix that
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I don’t think a light bar is necessary....

And you could live under the 600 watts as long as your plants fit in roughly a 4x4 area. Once they get bigger and you find yourself filling up the 5x5 space, you will want to have your 1000 watts running.

Here’s a cool site where you can see your savings by running lower wattage bulbs.

Grow Light Operating Cost - Greentrees Hydroponics

Some facts about HID lighting operating costs and lamp replacement.
www.hydroponics.net
 
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Bud2theBone

Active Member
twalte said:
I don’t think a light bar is necessary....

And you could live under the 600 watts as long as your plants fit in roughly a 4x4 area. Once they get bigger and you find yourself filling up the 5x5 space, you will want to have your 1000 watts running.

Here’s a cool site where you can see your savings by running lower wattage bulbs.

Grow Light Operating Cost - Greentrees Hydroponics

Some facts about HID lighting operating costs and lamp replacement.
www.hydroponics.net
Click to expand...
Thanks a bunch friend
 
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